Trending Topics: The New Internet Chat
Posted 10/05/09 at 12:00:00 PM by Veronica Belmont
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Some of my favorite early Internet memories came from visiting chat rooms: I started out using Microsoft Comic Chat and graduated to AOL chat rooms early on. When the Internet was young (and there wasn’t as much to do), it was pretty easy to become entranced by the number of random topics in which one could instantly discuss in real time. It was all honest fun, but I won’t lie, there was definitely that underlying sense of “OMG, I can totally lie about who I am, and no one will be the wiser.” This, of course, being a choice that many Internet users make to this day.
Having grown out of AOL, I moved on to vanilla IRC, where everything changed. Finally, an actual sense of community (and that desire to please the channel ops for some mod privileges). Yet somewhere along the line, ICQ and AOL Instant Messenger came along and usurped IRC by simply establishing presence: if you wanted to talk to someone, you just sent them an IM -- no more waiting around in the chat room to see if they’d pop in.
The Internet would be a happier place if we still used this, I think.
But the chat culture that we once knew and loved hasn’t disappeared completely, although its shape has changed significantly. IRC is still widely used, but these days it tends to be a tool too raw for use outside the geek set, where it’s frequently employed in conference “back-channels” or listener discussions for podcasts such as This Week in Tech. IM has become a de-facto mode of communication amongst friends and co-workers, so ubiquitous Google has begun to merge it with email (first with Gchat, and now with Google Wave). But for that random and serendipitous sense of discovery, where can the chat-hungry turn?
IRC still thrives in the podcasting and gaming worlds.
Using Twitter as a “chat room” has been the answer for many, although it’s not hard to tell why broadcast messaging crossed with the inability to filter might be construed as a misuse of the platform. Granted, this was even more of an issue before Twitter defaulted to showing only the replies of people you follow, but there was a time when it wasn’t uncommon to see someone demanding two chatters “get a (private) chat room!”
I never said they wouldn’t be creepy
FriendFeed (recently acquired by Facebook) hasn’t enjoyed the same widespread adoption as Twitter, but I think it’s a much better host for conversation. Comments on posts load almost as quickly as a live chat, and the ability to upload media expands its usefulness. But if it’s the random meetings by chance you miss, Omegle.com is your one-stop shop for finding a perfect stranger to engage in completely bizarre conversation. It’s your choice as to whether you want to play the straight man, or if you’d rather see how badly you can confuse your anonymous discussion partner (or worse).
Sidewiki lets you interject comments and links on existing pages
The near future looks very interesting for chat, particularly when it comes to a new Google technology that allows you to expand the definition of a “chat room.” Dubbed Sidewiki, the system allows users of a web site to discuss and share information with others in a dedicated side-panel. This is also reminiscent of StumbleUpon and GetGlue, two other addons that let you discuss web content without browsing away from the page you’re viewing. And a simple search for “chat” in the Firefox plug-in directory brings up a big list of real-time chat sidebars.
See? These people are already using it wrong and admit it!
Finally, though they may not be popular among the tech elite, simple chat rooms do still exist, from Yahoo Chat to Meebo. As our meatspace lives become increasingly intertwined with our online personas, it’s nice to know that there are still some safe havens where we can go to be our random, serendipitous selves.
Veronica Belmont is the co-host of Tekzilla and the host of PlayStation Network's Qore. Follow her on Twitter @veronica.
Devices are the key to chat of the future
Submitted by DaveFriedel on Wed, 10/07/2009 - 7:53pm
Why can't I talk to my TV and have it connect to IRC? To my family? To comment on a Tekzilla episode?
When devices get smarter, yet another revolution will happen with chat. Think about what happened with MMO's with having a venue to talk. The devices made it possible to connect "the last mile" to the gamer. So will it be with TV's and video screens. Talk to anyone, anytime, across languages even... in venues that matter... no keyboards. Maybe there will be less war and more understanding.
Just my 2 cents on this subject. I started using chat on an IBM mainframe in 1987, and saw the power of it back then. If chat were a car, today it would only be a 57 Chevy.
_________________________
Dave Friedel
http://davefriedel.com
http://twitter.com/davefriedel
NIce column ............
Submitted by old_angel on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 3:25am
Nice to see you expanding your talents into a new venue (unless I missed some previous efforts). Is it totally annoying when responses from readers/listeners immediately go to the "creepy" stuff?
Always have enjoyed your take on tech stuff on Tekzilla and CNET.
Look forward to more.
Submitted by zioburosky13 on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 12:55am
Surely folks, there are some nice, prety looking girl geek around yer place right?
Btw nice article.
Welcome to Max PC!
Submitted by 1337Goose on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 5:54pm
Welcome to Maximum PC Veronica! The twitter feeds said you were new around here.
Concerning your article. I think Google Wave is going to be the next big thing. From the keynotes that we've all seen, it looks like we're going to get IM and a more permanent twitter-esque form of communication rolled into one.
~Goose
I remember IRC ... it's been
Submitted by Khaled on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 3:34pm
I remember IRC ... it's been so long ...
Thanks for the memories
Submitted by JDK on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 3:36pm
Chat rooms, social networks....they come and go. I would like to see a resurgence of simple chat rooms personally because if I get one more flippin' person flooding my Facebook page with Mafia wars or Farmville updates I'm going to delete my Facebook account.....that is as soon as I figure out how to even delete a facebook account. Because guess what....turns out my own (real) friends aren't actually very interesting! Also...wasn't there a time recently when getting that Christmas card from your Cousin you barely knew with updates on their kids caused a mandatory eye roll....because it was such a cliche? But now, in Facebook I have to hear about it every time little Jimmy takes a dump! Except now it's multiplied by 100!
Ok.....admittedly that's a Facebook and social network rant but the point is, is a real time chat room with random strangers would be a nice welcome for a change. I, like probably most here (or maybe not) deleted my My space account awhile ago and Twitter...well twitter is IMO the very definition of a fad. Artificial character limitations and it suffers from some of the same fundamental flaws as Facebook and My Space....it gets out of control and silly....even if you dont necessarily want it to.
It's micro fame.....it's for people that need that friend they haven't seen for 15 years saying "thats cool". Really? The fact that you walked the dog and had a burrito for dinner is "cool"? It's full circle patting each other on the back and saying good job. How is that going to help us grow as a society? Lying to each other and pretending to care isn't helping.
Yep....still ranting....which brings me to my point. What we all need right now is a good old fashion chat room flame war to realign the universe. To once again balance good and evil.
I have a dream people.
BTW....I dont want anyone here attempting to debate me on the Twitter 140 character artificial limitation point talking about how no body wants to read more than that.
You just did.
Actually, I read 118
Submitted by willsmith on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 6:39pm
Actually, I read 118 characters and skipped to the end.
Submitted by JDK on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 5:15am
Nice try.
Really guys?
Submitted by 010000100110010... on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 2:41pm
Asking her for her phone number? Man, we're too much of creepy internet stalkers....
Submitted by fnordfnord on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 12:29pm
"these days it tends to be a tool too raw for use outside the geek set,
where it’s frequently employed in conference “back-channels” or
listener discussions for podcasts such as This Week in Tech. IM has become a de-facto mode of communication amongst friends and co-workers"local IRL friends, maybe...yes.
IRC is still utilized a lot more than you probably realize by "the geek set" (wtf does that even mean).I know you said it's widely used, but I think you're a little out of the loop when it comes to that topic. Of course you have your social networking fads that are going on right now...but that will change in the next few years.
Hmm...
Submitted by veronicabelmont on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 1:31pm
So you're saying that non-internet savvy folks are heavy IRC users? I guess I'm more out of the loop than I thought! All jokes aside, of course it's used for more purposes than the ones I listed. I could have gone on ad nauseum about it, but why?
Wheres your whip Castlevania Chick?
Submitted by Black Lable 69 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 12:28pm
Yeah & back in those days the internet was less clogged with the young & immature.
Submitted by veronicabelmont on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 1:27pm
You really nailed home the point of your comment with that title. Hah! I've *never* heard that one before!
Submitted by willsmith on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 6:37pm
Tell me about it.
Submitted by bladeguy on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 12:16pm
I agree that Twitter is the new IM tool. It's easy to use, but it's hard as crap to follow.
Submitted by jrep on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 11:30am
... if sidebars could siphon off the irrelevant comments, and leave the on-topic stuff permanently attached to the posting? Nah, never happen.
Chat Rooms are *Rad
Submitted by TerrenceCheek on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 11:30am
Awesome read, it makes me think about my experience, I have just started playing this MMO 7 days ago, that has a chat room that you use to talk to your alliance and its awesome :) Chat rooms are *Rad and very helpful also :)
Eve Online
Submitted by Seana7a7 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 2:36pm
Are you talking about Eve online by any chance?
Submitted by acisneros on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:24am
Great post! as usual. This made me remember back in my high-school days when I started becoming a complete geek, hehehe. microsoft Comic chat was really good
Submitted by quantumnerd on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:09am
... but if you analyse the odds, what are the chances that you will actually make any progress with her? We're a huge crowd of nerds that seems to be begging for her phone number (if she gave one to everyone who asked, her phone provider would sue her), while on the topic of creepy people who want dates.
Still, I would like your phone num- *killed*
v's number
Submitted by nedwards on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:52am
Well, she has a boyfriend, but you can reach her at (985) 655 2500.
Just don't tell her I gave you the number.
Nevermind
Submitted by NeauxFear on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 3:57pm
I just realized that it was intentional. It was a fail on my part.
Submitted by 010000100110010... on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 2:00pm
Google the number. Heh.
Submitted by NeauxFear on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 3:56pm
That's an area code for southeastern Louisiana. I don't know much about Ms. Belmont, but based on what I do know, I highly doubt she lives anywhere in the vicinity of Houma, LA.
Submitted by ka0s5150 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 1:35pm
I refuse to be rick rolled thanks anyways Nedwards, and thank you scroogle :)
Submitted by 010000100110010... on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 2:47pm
Nice one.
Well played sir. Well played.
Submitted by lunchbox73 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 12:41pm
Well played sir. Well played.
i miss the old chats
Submitted by dracx619 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 10:07am
some (but not most, dont go nuts now) of my fondest memories was the ol chat days which for me were the years 1999-2001. it seemed you could easily meet new and different people much easier, you really could be anyone you created yourself to be, pickin fights every now on then...it was fun. i tried a chatroom last year to see what was up and it was such a letdown. all these porn bots, spammers, pervs, no one who was real and not a bot had anything interesting to say. laaame. social networking just doesn't have that same something the old chats did and for you guys who used chats way before me know even better than me.
Submitted by ka0s5150 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 9:41am
And so has maximum PC, who knew they employed such a georgous lady. Unless this picture fooled me and as you zoom out you get a look at here pear shaped body all 250Lbs.. lol but i don't think thats the case :) or at least thats what i will tell myself
Cornify!!!!
Submitted by Mr.Pooney on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 8:53am
I love you Veronica Belmont!
So much cutter then Patrick Norton
You make 45min of my friday so much more livable!
Tekzilla rox!!!
When I First Used The 'Net In '95....
Submitted by Comic Book Guy on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 8:52am
When I first used the 'Net in '95, I remember discovering WBS (Web Broadcasting System; no longer around and hasn't been since around '99 or '00) & AIC (Alamak Internet Chat; it's still operating, but not with the users it had in the mid-'90s)...as well as a few other ones. Of course when Instant Messaging picked up it was the death of the web chat, but web chat is still around: web forums.
Comic Book Guy
Submitted by lunchbox73 on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 8:31am
I went into an adult chatroom once pretending to be a 15 year old girl to see what would happen. Disturbing experience to say the least. No shortage of pervs out there.
The good old days
Submitted by DevlshOne on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 3:47pm
What was more fun the antiquated AOL chat rooms where you could play a sound using {s and the sound name??? I had a blast making up "theme songs" for all my fellow members.
A/S/L?? *grin*
Submitted by Muerte on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 8:37am
Oh, now you just went and made me feel creepy.
I was going to post that I wanted Veronica's phone number.
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